The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Prohibits a debt collector from:

Calling consumers at work when the collector knows or should know that the consumer is not permitted to have such calls at work;

 Contacting the consumer by mail, phone or in person after the collector knows or should know that the consumer is represented by an attorney;

Disclosing information regarding the alleged debt to third parties such as neighbors, parents or children, or employers without the consumer's permission;

Causing a telephone to ring, or engaging a person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously, with the intent to annoy, abuse, or harass;

Threatening to take actions that cannot be legally taken or that the collector does not intend to take.  In many instances, this includes the threat to file a lawsuit or to garnish Social Security or other exempt funds; 

Calling consumers at times or places that the collector knew or should have known were inconvenient;

In most cases, continuing to try to collect debts after the consumer disputes the debt in writing and before verifying the debt;

Using obscene, profane or abusive language;

Threatening arrest or prison.